The Sins of the Fathers
by Aeilyn Montgomery
Summary: After Aizen is defeated, the Soul Society tries to repair all of the damage from the Winter War. However, a familiar threat arises, along with shocking new truths about the Soul Society and a new race of people is revealed. HitsugayaXOC and other pairings
1. The Aftermath

Hey everybody! This is my first Bleach fanfic. I happened to fall in love with the show and have had this idea rattling around in my brain for a while now. I love reviews and constructive criticism, so feel free to give me FEEDBACK! Please? Sorry if some characters are a little OOC, I'm just getting a feel for things.

Anyways, here goes! Enjoy!

**A/N: This story takes place after the Winter War where Aizen is defeated, along with the bulk of his army. Ichigo and Rukia have returned to the living world, while the Soul Society attempts to pull itself** **together and reestablish some kind of order after the war. **

**Pairings: Hitsugaya/OC, Ichigo/Rukia, Orihime/Uryu, various others**

**Rating: M for strong language, and later violence and sex**

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters.

**Chapter 1 – The Aftermath**

-Karakura Town-

Ichigo's eyes opened slowly to the sounds of birdsong and sunlight. He lay in bed motionless for a few moments, letting the events of the past several months wash over him. It was hard to believe really… that Aizen was dead. The war had been brutal, and there had been casualties. Tousen was dead; he had been killed by Shuuhei. Hiyori was in a state of stasis until some way could be found to piece her back together. Momo Hinamori was comatose again; the strain of fighting in the battle and the wound she had received had pushed her fragile psyche too far. Captain Hitsugaya, Captain Kyoraku, Captain Soifon, and Captain Komamura had all been seriously injured and had barely recovered. And of course, there were the myriad shinigami who had died whose names he didn't know. Ichigo sighed. And here he was, waking up in his own bed, as if it had never happened. As if he was a normal high school student. Life could be stupid sometimes.

His reverie was interrupted by tapping on the door, and Yuzu's voice summoning him to breakfast. He sat up in bed, swung his legs over the side, and reached for a pair of pants before… the door burst off its hinges and Isshin Kurosaki bounded into the room.

"ICHIGOOOOOO! Good morning, my sooooon!" the man bellowed, jumping through the air in what would have been a magnificent tackle, until Ichigo's fist promptly stopped his forward motion. Isshin squeaked as he hit the floor, skidding on his face.

"Crazy old man…" Ichigo muttered, pulling on his belt, grabbing his bag, and heading downstairs. He nodded at Karin and Rukia already sitting at the breakfast table, as Yuzu's concerned voice floated down the stairs. The three of them quietly ate their breakfast, while Isshin bounded back down the stairs and into the kitchen. Ichigo and Rukia quickly bolted out the door shouting their goodbyes behind them as they went. Karin looked up at their father, and rolled her eyes. "You're really a piece of work, you know that?"

Outside, Rukia looked at Ichigo. "Something on your mind?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorta," he responded. "I've just been thinking about what's happened lately. It's weird that things are back where they started – you and me in Karakura Town, taking on regular old hollows. Seems kinda surreal." He frowned slightly and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"I know what you mean," Rukia said. "But I think that's what the Soul Society is going for, some semblance of normalcy. The Winter War was brutal and almost tore the Seireitei apart. As is, there's still a lot of repairing and organizing to do. It's probably better if things are slow for a while. But you're right… it seems like history is repeating itself. Like we're starting at the beginning again." She shrugged.

"Maybe things really are circular…" Ichigo mused.

Their conversation ended as the two of them reached Karakura High School. They found Chad, Orihime and Uryu all inside, and the five of them greeted each other before beginning a very average day in the world of the living.

-Soul Society-

Head Captain Yamamoto gazed down the two rows of captains before him. Still only ten… three more were needed desperately. Squad Three, Squad Five and Squad Nine were still without captains, and their shinigami were in various states of disarray. Although Shuuhei Hisagi was handling his responsibilities as Squad Nine lieutenant well, Squad Five and Three were in sorry shape. Without captains, or in one case even Lieutenant Hinamori, the members were discouraged and unruly. Something needed to be done.

"Very well," Yamamoto began. "I have called this captain's meeting to order to discuss a pressing matter. I would like to begin taking candidates to fill the three empty captain's positions. I believe that your input on this matter is important, and I wish for you to put forward the names of any candidates you feel may be accomplished enough to be considered for taking over the duties and responsibilities of a captain."

A moment after Yamamoto finished speaking, Jushiro Ukitake stepped forward slightly and spoke. "I would like to offer Ichigo Kurosaki as a candidate for the position of a squad captain." There was an initial moment of silence before the room erupted into shouting.

"That's impossible!" Soifon snapped, "That boy is just a child. There's no way for him to accept the responsibilities of a captain!"

"I agree." Byakuya Kuchiki answered coolly. "The boy has no place taking a position as a captain; he's not a true shinigami. His blatant disregard for our rules and wishes further prove that he is disrespectful, immature, and will inevitably defy the wishes of the Soul Society."

"Nevertheless," Jushiro rejoined, "he has proven himself a strong ally. He is certainly at a captain's level, is a competent fighter and strategist, and has aided us numerous times."

"Just because his blood isn't pure," Shunsui Kyoraku replied, "doesn't mean he won't make a strong captain." He looked pointedly at Byakuya.

"I think it'd be interesting having the boy around." Kenpachi Zaraki grinned.

"Kurosaki is capable, however, the question is whether or not he will make a suitable captain." Toshiro Hitsugaya crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

As the shouting continued, Yamamoto sighed and closed his eyes. This was exactly what he had been hoping to avoid. Well… Ichigo Kurosaki was certainly someone to consider. However, there was one serious issue that needed to be addressed.

"Enough!" Yamamoto growled, effectively silencing the other captains. "Ichigo Kurosaki will be taken into consideration." He raised a hand to stifle any responses. "But! In order for Kurosaki to be a candidate, he must become proficient in kido. During the period of his training, he will also be taught about the customs, history, and laws of the Soul Society. This training period will act as a trial period, in which we will decide if he is, in fact, a suitable candidate for captaincy. Now, other possible candidates?"

Captain Kuchiki stepped forward. "Lieutenant Renji Abarai."

Shunsui raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Your own Lieutenant?"

"I believe that he possesses the necessary abilities." Byakuya didn't even blink.

"Two candidates…" Yamamoto rumbled. "And one of those is uncertain. "At least one more name needs to be submitted for consideration."

Komamura suddenly stepped forward. "I would like to put forth the name of Shuuhei Hisagi."

"Shuuhei?" Zaraki raised an eyebrow. "He hasn't even achieved bankai yet. There's no way he's at captain level."

Captain Unohana quietly spoke for the first time. "Lieutenant Hisagi proved his physical strength and strength of character and will when he managed to kill Tousen. Bankai cannot be far off. He has aptly handled the day to day duties of a captain up until this point, perhaps it would be foolish to remove him and appoint someone else in his place."

"In that case, I would like to add Izuru Kira to the list of possible candidates." Hitsugaya flicked aquamarine eyes to Yamamoto. "Izuru has shown many of the same capabilities."

Yamamoto nodded slowly. "Very well then. There are officially four candidates for the position of captain within the thirteen court guard squads. I will be selecting two other captains to assist me in the selection process and captain's exam. There will be a three-month grace period, in which the candidates will be informed of their nomination and given the proper training and opportunity to prepare themselves." He paused, and grasped his staff more firmly.

"It is imperative," he continued, "to treat this matter as one of the utmost significance. The confusion within the Seireitei must be calmed. I expect all of you to work towards this end. This captain's meeting is now over, you are all dismissed."

The captains responded with a prompt "Yes sir!" and began to disperse, while Yamamoto waved Hitsugaya towards him, and the small, white-haired captain stepped forward. As Yamamoto looked at the child prodigy, he realized again with surprise that he had grown. Not excessively, but Hitsugaya was now brushing a little over five feet. Still… he was dwarfed by almost all of the other captains. There were rumors that Mayuri Kurotsuchi had something to do with the 10th squad's captain's growth spurt, but Hitsugaya insisted that it was due only to his daily naps.

Mentally shaking himself from his observations, he addressed the small shinigami, meeting the serious gaze of Hitsugaya's startling eyes. "Captain Hitsugaya, I want to send you and your Lieutenant Matsumoto, along with Renji Abarai to the world of the living to inform Ichigo Kurosaki of his candidacy for the captaincy. It will be your responsibility to bring him back to the Soul Society for his training. I expect you to leave in one week from today."

Hitsugaya nodded curtly. "Yes sir. I'll start preparing immediately." He quickly left the meeting room, and ran down the street towards the Squad 10 barracks. First things first – he would inform Rangiku about the decision (gods, she was going to be ecstatic) and then he would send word to the Squad 6 lieutenant.

He sighed. He was going to have so much paperwork to catch up on.

-Somewhere else…-

The four figures sat around the fire, which cast flickering shadows over the walls of the cave. Outside the storm continued, whipping sands into a frenzy and howling down the passageways. Finally, the first man broke the silence. "So our scouts have returned with the information we were seeking?"

"Only three out of the seven returned," came a woman's voice. "The others were lost gaining access to the ruins. Apparently there were still some traps left over, and the place still attracts strong hollows and arrancars."

An older man's voice joined the conversation. "And our suspicions…?"

"Valid." The first speaker sighed. "After analyzing the data and the research, we have confirmed our fears. Now it is time – we must send word to the Soul Society."

A cloaked woman hissed. "Shinigami… is it truly necessary to get them involved?"

"Unfortunately. The problem originated with them, and it should end with them as well. They must be alerted immediately. We must choose a representative to send to the world of the living." The old man frowned.

"The world of the living?" the cloaked woman sounded surprised. "Why-"

"Because that representative must contact the substitute soul reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki. Not only will he be more willing to listen, he may be willing to intercede for us. Don't forget, my friends, that the Soul Society will not take kindly to our arrival. We must have allies going into this. And Ichigo… has never played by the rules. He is our best hope." The first speaker sighed. "Now, we must choose someone to send."

"Someone young," the first woman interjected. "That person must be adaptable; the world of the living has changed drastically of late."

"Someone of noble birth." The old man paused. "In order for our representative to have credibility, he or she must have noble blood in his or her veins. That will hopefully force Central 46 to at least grant them a hearing. Not to mention, that will ensure political training and knowledge."

"So… a young noble…" the cloaked woman shifted uneasily. "That will not be simple. We are so scattered. However, perhaps he-?"

"No." the first speaker snapped. "He is out of the question. His hatred of the Soul Society is common knowledge, and he has a tendency to become quite violent. He would start a war that we cannot afford to fight."

The older man laced his fingers together. "The whereabouts of most nobles are unknown… Except for, of course, _her_. She would fit the bill quite nicely, in fact, don't you agree? One of the youngest, of noble blood, open-minded, and unafraid of a challenge… Perhaps she could be persuaded?"

The first woman frowned. "True… she would be the most suitable candidate. However, there is the issue of her aversion to battles. Do you think that this could cause her to shirk some duties if they might result on bloodshed?"

"Hopefully, there will be no bloodshed." The first man leaned back. "I agree, she is the best candidate. And she is the closest. Send a scout to her immediately; I want her through a portal and into the world of the living within 6 hours. You will brief her on the way, and provide her with all the materials she needs for her venture."

The other three figures nodded, and silently slipped away to begin preparations. The first man leaned back and watched the shadows play across the ceiling as the wind howled. Time was of the essence. He closed his eyes, and began to chant aloud. Although the old spirit chants were mostly obsolete, he would perform one anyway. She was going to need all the help that she could get.

**To Be Continued…**

So, there's Chapter 1! Sorry it's a bit long and a tad boring, but I had to set everything up! PLEASE R&R, I would love to hear your thoughts. Chapter 2 will be coming soon!

-Aeilyn


	2. A New Face and Old Friends

Hello again! I'm going to try to update this story once a week or so, so stay tuned. Please please please review; I'd love to know your thoughts about this story. Anyways, on to chapter 2!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters.

**Chapter 2 – A New Face and Old Friends**

"Good morning Ichigo! And good morning to you too Rukia!" Orihime's sweet voice greeted the pair as they entered their classroom.

"Hey Orihime, how's it going?" Ichigo asked, tossing his bag onto his desk and falling tiredly into his chair. He rubbed his hand over his eyes and stifled a yawn. There were still hollows appearing in Karakura Town, more so it seemed than before. He supposed it was because of the high concentration of spirit energy within the town, but still… it was killing his work ethic and time for sleep.

"All right. How are you feeling, Ichigo? You look tired." Concerned brown eyes stared at him.

"Ah, I'm fine." He gave her a quick smile, and his sienna gaze warmed.

Orihime felt her stomach swoop at his smile. Would he ever notice the effect he had on her? She slid into her seat as the door to the classroom flew open.

"All right, all right, settle down!" Misato Ochi, the teacher, called out cheerfully. She strode into the room, bearing a stack of folders and books. Plopping them on the desk, she pulled out a clipboard and scanned the attendance list.

"Well look at that, everyone's here. Good! Now everyone can welcome our new guest. Students, we're going to be gaining a new classmate today! She'll be here in a moment, so you all make sure to welcome her." Misato blinked a couple of times and looked at the clipboard before tapping her finger on her chin.

"You know, we've been getting an awful lot of new students that just end up disappearing in a few days…" she murmured to herself. "Who would have thought there were that many delinquents in Karakura Town?"

The door to the room opened a second time, interrupting her thoughts, and almost all the heads in the classroom turned to see who it was.

The new student walked rather hesitantly to the head of the class, and turned to face her peers. Ichigo studied her with mild surprise. She was small, about Rukia's height, (what was it with these midget women anyways?), and was very petite. Dark brown hair was pulled back into a braid that fell almost to her waist, and she was surveying the room with deep green eyes. There was something strange about her though; she looked a little old to be a high school student and almost… washed out, maybe? Or perhaps it was faded, like curtains that had been hanging in the sun too long. Or like a plant that had been kept out of sunlight. Whatever it was, she seemed a little sickly.

He zoned back into the conversation in time to hear his teacher's voice saying, "- little about yourself."

The girl folded her hands in front of her, and gave a small bow. When she spoke, he noticed that she had a foreign accent – one that he couldn't place. Whatever it was, there was a special lilt to her voice that made it rather pleasant to listen to.

"Good morning," she began slowly. "My name is Arya, and it's a pleasure to meet you all." She paused for a moment and glanced at Misato, who beamed at her and nodded encouragingly. "I just moved into town yesterday," she continued, "and have been privately schooled up to this point."

The teacher's glasses flashed. "Private schooling, eh? Well let's find out if that can compare to MY class." She surveyed the room. "Now, where to put you… Ah! Please take the seat to the left of Rukia, by the window."

Arya inclined her head slightly to acknowledge the order, and quietly slid down the row and into her seat. Rukia shot her a welcoming smile, which Arya began to return before freezing suddenly. Her brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Rukia, swiftly jerking her gaze away and staring out the window.

"Did I do something wrong?" Rukia wondered to herself. "That was strange."

The morning dragged on, one lecture after another. Ichigo's head drooped lower and lower onto his desk, before he finally gave up and simply closed his eyes. A well-aimed eraser tossed rather violently by Rukia caught him on the back of the head, and he sat up in a hurry. The bell for lunch had chimed, and most of his classmates were already pulling out their food.

"Jeez! What the hell was that for? You almost gave me a heart attack!" he sprang out of his seat glaring at her, while rubbing the back of his head.

"It's your own fault for sleeping in class, Ichigo. You're being awfully irresponsible these days." She pulled out a thermos and took a sip of whatever was inside.

"Irrespon – are you insane? I've been spending all my time taking care of… of… of STUFF, and you have the nerve to call me irresponsible? I swear; I'm going to-" Chad's hand on his shoulder cut off Ichigo's rant. He glared up at the towering high schooler before grumpily crossing his arms over his chest and throwing himself back into the chair.

"Well, whatever…" Ichigo muttered to himself.

In the front of the room, Uryu pushed his glasses up his nose, and rolled his eyes. That boy could be so immature sometimes. Really.

Orihime and Tatsuki joined Ichigo, Chad, and Rukia, and the five of them began their lunches. Orihime glanced over at the new girl and noted with surprise that she hadn't begun eating. In fact, it didn't look like she had any food at all. She frowned slightly, and looked down at the concoction sitting in front of her. At the moment it was green and rather lumpy… she assumed that the pistachio mixed with the rice and sweet beans had given it that color and consistency.

Hopping to her feet, she crossed the room and stopped beside Arya's desk. Arya, who had been staring silently out the window, turned her head towards Orihime and looked up at her.

"Hello!" the orange-haired girl sang out. "I'm Orihime Inoue; it's nice to meet you!" She smiled cheerfully, rocking back on her heels and clasping her hands behind her back. "Would you like to eat lunch with us?"

The brunette looked at her in surprise before responding. "I'm Arya. It's a pleasure to meet you." Her voice was soft, and that accent (what was it?) washed over Orihime. "I appreciate the offer, but I seem to have forgotten my lunch. Maybe some other time?" Arya gave a half-smile and settled back into her seat.

"Oh… well, you can share mine!" Orihime beamed. "It's pistachio with sweet beans and rice, and then I have cake mixed with chili powder and chocolate, and tea…" she paused. Arya looked distinctly confused.

"Pista-chio…?" the word rolled off the new girl's tongue slowly.

"You don't know what pistachios are? They're nuts! Kind of like walnuts, but smaller. I guess they're more like almonds, come to think of it. But their shells are white. So, maybe they're more like almond-sized eggs! Except, they don't taste anything like eggs or almonds…" Orihime stopped babbling as Ichigo came up beside her.

"I think that you might be overdoing it a bit, Orihime." He smiled at Arya. "Welcome to Karakura High School. "

Tatsuki seconded the welcome and then added, "One of the first rules you need to know – watch out for Orihime's cooking!"

"Why? I like Orihime's cooking." Rukia and Orihime exchanged smiles across the room, while Ichigo and Tatsuki looked slightly nauseated.

Arya's face wore a completely bemused expression. Really, what was she doing in high school? What a waste of time. And she still had no idea of what a pistachio was. It sounded rather disgusting.

**[B]**

As lunch ended and the school day began to draw to a close, the teacher began her final lecture – world history. As she spouted names, dates, and places, her eyes wandered over the students, looking for anyone not studiously taking notes, and landed on Arya – who was clearly not paying attention. She was gazing absentmindedly out the window, her chin on her palm. Misato grinned. It was time to teach this "privately schooled" girl what it was like to be in _public_ school.

"Arya!" Misato snapped, in the middle of her lecture. "What was the beginning date of World War II?"

Arya glanced up. "September 1, 1939."

Misato paused. "That is… correct." Apparently, the girl knew _was_ listening a little. Not one to be deterred, she continued. "How about this: When was the Convention of Kanagawa?"

"1854."

She sighed. "Right again. When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?"

"June 28, 1919."

"When did Alexander the Great die?"

"June 10, 323 BC, according to Plutarch. Aristobolus differs in his interpretation of events."

"When was Genghis Khan born?"

"1162."

Misato paused. Obviously rapidly firing trivia questions wasn't going to work… Arya had given correct answers to every question she had been asked. The rest of the class was gaping at her in shock. And she hadn't even batted an eyelash. Very well… Misato nodded grudgingly. Arya had won this round… for now.

The final bell of the day rang, and the sounds of chairs scraping against the floor and voices filled the room. Orihime glanced over to Arya's seat, but the girl had already slipped out. She sighed. The new student obviously knew her history. She must have attended a special private school. Maybe she was the daughter of some great politician! Or foreign nobility! After all, Arya wasn't a Japanese name. And there was her strange manner of speaking. Orihime lost herself in a daydream about secret agents with dark glasses, and the daughter of a wealthy businessman that had been sent to a small city in another country in order to keep her identity a secret…

**[B]**

Arya walked swiftly down the sidewalk. This was ridiculous. High school? Really, at her age? Honestly, there had to be a better way to complete her mission. Besides, the noise, smells, and bright lights were all giving her a massive headache… It had only been one day and she was already fed up with it.

_All right_, she thought, _executive decision. No more pretending to be a child._ She shook her head slightly. And sitting next to that girl… Rukia Kuchiki, was that her name? Rukia made her more nervous than she thought possible. No, high school just wasn't going to work out.

Arya strode through town. She was going to change plans. And she had to do it soon.

**[B]**

The next few days passed quickly for Ichigo, until it was Friday. They ran together in blurs of school (or what little he could remember due to his frequent dozing in class), helping his dad in the clinic, and defeating hollows at all hours of the day and the night. Although Rukia almost always assisted him and he occasionally ran into Uryu and Chad while patrolling the streets, the job seemed never-ending. He supposed that it was. After all, as far as he knew, Hueco Mundo held an unfathomable number of hollows, and they all seemed to be heading straight for Karakura Town. Luckily, however, there hadn't been any arrancars lately. Hopefully it would stay that way.

Ichigo had noticed, however, that the new girl (what was her name? Something beginning with an 'A,' or maybe it was an 'E') hadn't been in school for the past three days. Or, in fact, after her first day of school. He sighed. Lucky her.

'_Our crazy instructor must have scared her away,'_ he thought to himself. _'She probably went back to private schooling. Too bad. I would have liked to find out where she was from.'_

He leaned back in his desk chair, stretched his arms out, and stared out the window beside his bed. The light was dimming as late afternoon passed into evening – it was getting late. His eyes flicked to the clock beside his bed, and his mind ran over the load of homework the instructor had assigned for the weekend. Even though the job was never-ending, there were some days he wished he could just be a full-fledged shinigami. It was what he was meant to do; he could feel it. Quite often, school just felt like a waste of time. Like school was his substitute life, instead of the other way around. If only he could figure out which world he really belonged in.

Glancing at the clock again, Ichigo frowned. 7:30. On Fridays, Yuzu and Karin had begun staying after school. Karin had soccer practice, and Yuzu had joined a committee that was organizing a school dance. Typical Yuzu. She had to stick around to help make decorations, or something silly like that. However, they should have been on their way home by now. In fact, he was surprised that they hadn't made it home already. Yuzu was almost always home early in time to fix dinner for her family.

He got up, took the couple steps towards his bed, and collapsed onto the mattress. The window was open for Rukia when she got back, (she was at Urahara's shop for something, probably the latest Chappy merchandise) and his curtains moved from the gentle breeze.

'_If they're not back by 9:00,'_ Ichigo thought drowsily, _'I'll go look for them.'_ Being concerned about them now was the least he could do, after abandoning them for the Winter War. Ichigo's eyes grew heavier and heavier, until he finally gave into the temptation to sleep, and slipped into a world of dreams.

**[B]**

"Come on Karin! It's getting late, dad and Ichigo are probably going to getting worried!" Yuzu ran to the edge of the soccer field, and waved to her twin. "I have to get dinner started!"

"All right, all right…" Karin grudgingly raised a hand to her friends, tossed her soccer ball into her bag, and walked up to Yuzu. "We have a game coming up, you know."

"I remember." Yuzu grabbed Karin's arm, and pulled her towards the sidewalk. "Let's go!"

The two girls walked side by side down the sidewalk towards home, as the red and orange-streaked sky faded to shades of ocher and mauve. A slight breeze wafted past, caressing Karin's cheek. The evening was peaceful, quiet. It didn't last.

Karin felt the hollow, before she heard or saw it. Looking up, she saw the sky crack – jagged lines radiated outwards, as the sky split open. Huge fingers with claws tore the heavens, and its nightmarish face came through. It screamed as it saw the two tiny girls beneath it, skull gleaming and catching the last of the light, and eyes glowing fire.

Grabbing her sister's hand, Karin pulled her into a run down the sidewalk. "Come on Yuzu, we have to get out of here. Now!"

Although Yuzu couldn't see the hollow completely, the fear in Karin's eyes and the haze in the sky above them were enough of a reason for her to comply. The two girls ran, Karin in front pulling her sister, as the hollow broke the rest of the way into the living world. Its long tail thrashed behind it, and as it tensed its legs. In a mighty leap, it crashed into the ground in front of the Kurosaki twins, leaving a crater and knocking them backwards. Screaming again, it leaned in for the kill.

**[B]**

Across town, Rukia's soul pager began to beep. Flipping it open, she looked at the blinking green light that flashed insistently. She was too far away to deal with this hollow, but she was sure that Ichigo would have no trouble beating with it, even if it did look like a particularly large one.

**[B]**

Uryu looked up as he felt the violent reiatsu that was the hollow. _'It's a big one,'_ he idly thought to himself. Getting to his feet, he laid down the project he was working on (the dress was almost finished anyways) and headed out the door. The hollow was a ways away, but he could use a break. Besides, Kurosaki should be able to handle it. It was closer to him.

**[B]**

In the Kurosaki household, Ichigo slept on. Days of exhaustion and running on almost empty had caught up with him. His muscles ached more now, and he seemed to get tired more easily. Maybe the Winter War had caused more damage than he had thought. But for now, he was content to sleep peacefully. The alarm he had set for 9:00 was still an hour away from sounding.

**[B]**

Karin moved quickly. Pushing Yuzu to the side, she grabbed her soccer ball out of the bag, aimed, and sent it flying towards the hollow's head. The ball burst on impact, sending a small puff of dust into the air. The hollow paused and leaned back for a moment, its hellish eyes focused on Karin.

"It didn't have any effect!" the raven-haired girl's eyes widened in terror as a huge hand came rushing towards her.

She heard Yuzu screaming and waited for the impact and pain… but it never came. Instead, the hollow shrieked and fell backwards. Karin looked up to see something absurdly small protruding from its hand. It didn't look like an arrow or a sword, but blood was trickling from the wound. She heard movement behind her, and spun around as a form leaped up to the sidewalk and landed in front of her. The figure pulled something out from behind her back, and whipped it towards the hollow.

'_Was that… a dagger?'_ Karin thought to herself. Whatever it was, the blade flew true. Before the hollow could move, the blade slammed into the middle of its forehead, sending a spider-web of cracks radiating across its mask. With a final howl, the hollow disappeared, and the two blades clattered to the ground.

"Wha…?" Karin was speechless.

The woman (Karin was pretty sure that's what she was) walked forward, and bent down to collect the two weapons she had thrown. By that time, Yuzu had run up to Karin and was clinging to her arm.

"Hey…" Karin finally found her voice. "Hey! Thank you for saving us." Getting to her feet, she pulled Yuzu with her. "Who are you, exactly?"

The woman turned to her. Closer up, she didn't look quite as old as Karin thought she was. Maybe… 19? 20? "How about we find somewhere a little safer to talk, aye?" she asked lightly. "I have a feeling there might be more coming."

'_Where is she from?'_ Karin wondered. _'Weird voice.'_

As Yuzu got to her feet, she hissed. Looking down, she saw the trickle of blood running down her leg. There was a nasty looking gash above her knee, which she hadn't noticed in all the excitement. 

"Yuzu!" Karin caught her arm as she began to fall. The more protective twin stared at her doe-eyed sister with worry. "Your leg… can you stand? We need to get you home; dad can take care of this easily."

"Yuzu, eh? Well that's a lovely name." The woman smiled. "And you?" she raised an eyebrow as she looked at Yuzu's twin.

"K-Karin." Karin stared up at her.

"Pleasure to meet you both. I'm Arya." She knelt down in front of Yuzu. "Now, I believe this would be easier if I carry you home, don't you agree?'

"Um… are you sure?" Yuzu looked worried. She hated being a bother. But, her leg was really aching, and she felt unsteady.

"Of course!" Arya pulled her long braid out of the way as Karin helped Yuzu onto her back. She stood up, carefully wrapping her arms around Yuzu's legs. "Now, what's say we get going?"

"Yeah, let's go." Karin began to lead Arya towards the Kurosaki Clinic.

After a few moments of silence, Arya spoke. "So tell me, Karin, how long have you been able to see hollows?"

"I've always been able to see spirits, but it seems like I've just started being able to see those… hollows more recently."

Arya nodded. "I see… You seem to have a very high spiritual awareness."

"How about you?" Yuzu leaned over Arya's shoulder. "You got rid of that thing so easily!"

"I've always been able to see them, as far as I know. And that hollow, while being rather large and nasty, wasn't particularly strong." She shrugged slightly. "But let's not worry about it anymore, aye?"

Although the two girls nodded (Yuzu with a bit of relief), Karin frowned inwardly. _'She's definitely not normal. Who carries around concealed daggers? And knows how to use them so accurately.'_ She sneaked a look at Arya.

Arya's deep green eyes were unreadable so she couldn't tell what she was thinking. It was almost entirely dark, and although the streetlights were on, the hair that framed her face cast shadows. She was shorter than Karin had initially thought, and wearing a knee length skirt with a dark blue sweater. She assumed the daggers must have been concealed in her clothes somewhere.

The trio had entered their neighborhood and was almost back to the Kurosaki Clinic. Yuzu had fallen asleep against Arya's shoulder; the encounter with the hollow had been extremely draining. There was silence between Karin and Arya, but it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable. When they rounded the corner and the sign of the Kurosaki Clinic was visible, Arya froze.

"Kurosaki?" she turned towards Karin. "You're... Karin Kurosaki?"

"Yeah?" the girl looked at her strangely. "Do you know my brother or something? Ichigo?"

Arya shook her head. "The name's just familiar. That's all."

As soon as they entered the door and Isshin Kurosaki saw his darling Yuzu bleeding, there was chaos in the house. Isshin rushed Yuzu into the clinic to sterilize and bandage the gash, before pulling Arya (who looked distinctly uncomfortable) into a rib-crushing hug, and thanking her for helping his daughters with tears of joy.

The commotion finally woke Ichigo, who staggered down the stairs rubbing at his eyes. "Hey Karin. What's going on?"

He wasn't expecting the punch that she threw, which hit him straight in the face.

"Karin! What the hell? I'd expect that from dad, but from you? What's going on?" he glared at his younger sister.

"_I_ should be asking, why you were sleeping when Yuzu and I were getting attacked by _hollows_!" Karin glared right back.

Ichigo's glare instantly turned to worry. "What? You got attacked? What happened, how did you get away? Are you all right?"

Karin crossed her arms. "Yuzu got a little beat up, but we're fine. Listen Ichigo; this weird girl saved us. She beat the hollow easily by throwing _daggers_, and then carried Yuzu back here. Our name seemed to make her uncomfortable. Said her name was Arya. Do you know her?"

"Arya…" Where had he heard that before? Oh! "She was in school!" Ichigo realized. "Only for a day though, before she disappeared. Wait, is she still here?"

"Yeah, I think dad might be scaring her in the kitchen." Karin watched as Ichigo dashed by down the hall. _'So she does know Ichigo. Things are getting weirder.'_ She thought.

**[B]**

In the kitchen, Isshin was shoving a cup of tea into Arya's hands while pushing a plate of cookies towards her. Ichigo stared. It _was_ Arya. What was she doing, fighting hollows? Or even seeing them, for that matter?

"Oy, Arya."

Arya heard him, and winced slightly. She really had been hoping to avoid Ichigo while she was here, but there was nothing for it now. Turning slightly, she gave a weak smile.  
"Hello… Ichigo."

**To be continued… **

I think that I'm going to end this chapter here. In Chapter 3, the team from the Soul Society will arrive to bring Ichigo back, and we'll find out who Arya is, and what she's doing in Karakura Town.

PLEASE review, I'd like to know your thoughts, ideas, and how I'm doing. Until next time!


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